Peacemaker Isn't DC's Only Sad Boy

Is Chris Smith DC's saddest boy? If you've seen "Peacemaker" Season 1 then you'd be forgiven for answering "yes" to that question, but, as the video above proves beyond doubt, the world of DC Comics is actually full of sad boy heroes. Peacemaker doesn't top the list, though there's no denying that he's had it rough. As revealed in "Peacemaker" Season 1, which contains plenty of crazy moments, Smith grew up the son of a deranged white supremacist villain known as the White Dragon. To make matters worse, he was subjected to his father's abuse and torment, which was so brutal that it led to his brother's accidental death.

With a childhood like his, it's no wonder many people assume Peacemaker is DC's biggest sad boy. Yet, as tough as he had it growing up, he's not the only DC hero to endure childhood trauma. When it comes to difficult pasts, look no further than Batman, whose parents were murdered right in front of him when he was a child. Bruce Wayne, like Chris Smith, uses his tragic past to motivate him as a hero. On-screen versions of the character have only become more dark and broody over the decades: The campy Batman played by Adam West is a far cry from Robert Pattinson's emo version of Bruce Wayne.

While Bruce Wayne might be the most famous DC sad boy, forever struggling with the trauma of his childhood, he and Peacemaker are just two of many DC characters dealing with difficult pasts. Several of them are in the Bat-family, perhaps most notably Batman's sidekick Jason Todd, who was given the Robin moniker but later became known as Red Hood. Wayne took Todd under his wing after he caught him trying to steal tires from the Batmobile. The youngster had been manipulated into a life of crime by his father and was often left to tend to his mother, who struggled with drugs and alcohol. And the sadness is not limited to Gotham.

The Green Lantern John Stewart cuts a haunted figure due to his guilt over not being able to save the planet Xanshi, and Aquaman is another example of a DC hero with a tragic life. The version played by Jason Momoa on the big screen doesn't scream sad boy, but in the comics, Arthur Curry's infant son is murdered by his arch nemesis, Black Manta, which leads to the separation of Arthur and his wife, Mera, and a much more despondent version of Aquaman. And there are plenty of villains with sad boy vibes: Mr. Freeze only does what he does so he can fund research into a cure for his wife's terminal illness, for example. For an in-depth look at DC's saddest sad boys (as well as a few girls), make sure to check out Looper's video.